Einstein said that time is an illusion…
(but I’m guessing he never struggled through Daylight Savings Time.)

I have been wondering all week, “How is it that one hour is so incredibly hard to adjust to?”

I’m so confused.

Every year I think that I will be more rested this week than any other week in the year. We got an extra hour of sleep after all! Yet, it never turns out quite as I hope for and I end up feeling more tired than I did before the change.

“What gives?”

This all led me to think about dealing with time changes when traveling. Here I am, moaning and groaning over one silly hour. If I was on vacation, I’d be telling myself to suck it up! So, I am giving myself the same pep talk this time around. I am going to go about this adjusting time with the same savviness I would on the road. I will own this time change. Or maybe I can try to trick myself into thinking I do.

Either way, here are a few tips on how to adjust to a time change while traveling. 

Tip #1 – Prepare early
Treat your body well before you go. Eat nutritious foods, drink lots of water and avoid drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. Before you leave for the airport, fit in an extra dose of exercise. This workout will help you sleep better on the plane. After you arrive to the airport, avoid the escalators and walk as much as possible to fit in as many steps as you can before boarding.

Wear two watches. Well, you don’t have to actually wear two … unless you’re trying to start a new trend … but about a week before you go, put on a watch that has the new time set. As you check your watch during the week, you will be reminded of what timezone you are going to be in soon. This can help you mentally prepare and may pass on some of the burden to your sub-conscious.

Tip #2 – Here comes the sun
Not only are those earplugs and blindfolds a godsend while you’re in the air, but they also work wonders once it’s time to get some shut eye. With that said, even though your body wants to stay put in that cloud of a hotel bed … once the sun is up, get up with it and go outside! Nothing will make jet lag worse than staying indoors in a dimly-lit bedroom. Sunlight exposure is key to resetting your biological clock. Get some rays shining on your face, fresh air in your lungs and take a walk in the sun.  That extra Vitamin D will work wonders!

Tip#3 – There’s an app for that
Seriously, there is. A few in fact. If you are an iphone user, two popular apps to fight the battle are Jet Lag Rooster and Entrain. Both have very different approaches to fighting jet lag and one may be a better fit for you than the other. Take a chance and try the free versions … let me know how they work for you!

Tip #4 – Be kind to yourself

Travel can certainly take its toll on your emotional state. From bad weather flight delays or family stress back at home, to culture shock and communication barriers after you arrive – these occurrences increase stress levels which can affect how well you rest … before, during and after a trip! Set aside some quiet time to journal. Connect with your spirituality by meditating or practice some gentle yoga. Another suggestion is to try sprinkling lavender oil on your pillow. This essential oil works wonders to calm nerves and slow breathing down.

This was a good reminder for me … and I hope these tricks can help you fight jet lag on your next trip too. For now, I admit I probably should have pulled out this bag of tricks a week ago. Please remind me to do so in six months, would you?

What are your go-to Jet Lag busters?